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It has been eighteen years since Lennox Lewis announced and retired from boxing after a prolific career as one of the sport’s great heavyweight boxers. Although criticised as “boring” when he was active, his retirement and absence soon proved that boxing was missing him as comments from fans all around the globe stated such things akin to the likes of “the heavyweight division needs Lennox!”
Compiling a final record of 41-2-1 with 32 KO’s, Lewis stood at 6’5 with an 84” reach. Before he came along, heavyweight boxers were known to be a bit smaller in stature and overall physique. Along with other fighters who fought throughout the 1990’s such as Riddick Bowe, Lewis contributed toward creating a new era of big heavyweights that still lasts today. When he unified the championship at the back end of 1999, Lennox became the first British boxer to do so in over one hundred years. His punch resistance was, and still is debated. Early knockout losses to Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman give rise to such discussions. But it is easy to dismiss the fact that he stood and traded in fights with Evander Holyfield (in their rematch), Ray Mercer and Vitali Klitschko. Lewis was a technician who liked to tactically break down his opponents. But that does not mean that he never went for broke! This is evident when he fought Andrew Golota, Shannon Briggs and Frans Botha which was Lewis’s homecoming fight in Britain in 2000.
Equipped with a high ring IQ, huge power in his right hand and a strong left jab it is interesting to think of how Lennox Lewis stacks up against other heavyweight boxers of the past and where he would sit among them.
For me, I think there is an argument that he makes it inside the top ten.
Many would have the likes of Muhammad Ali as their number one, which I do not have a problem with and I cannot imagine anybody else would either. But there are even experts that think Mike Tyson deserves a spot in there. Something that I definitely have an issue with. While Tyson achieved a lot at such a young age, the shortcomings of his career and what he left behind does some serious damage to his memory. The incident when he bit Evander Holyfield on the ear and taking a chunk of flesh out from it is something many fans have forgiven him for. But what other boxing legends stooped to taking such desperate measures? Exactly. That is why Mike Tyson would never make it into my top ten. But a worthy champion who had a lot of integrity like Lennox Lewis would.
It is fair to say and think that Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Jack Johnson can rightfully command the top three spots even if what Johnson purely achieved in the ring has now been equalled and surpassed many times by modern fighters. But obviously the historical significance of Johnson being the first black heavyweight champion is what would make his standing so high. So, there is no issue there.
While I love watching Joe Frazier and that his fights with Muhammad Ali are known as some of the best that the division has ever had to offer, objectively he is recognised for little else. Nevertheless, Frazier often makes it inside the top ten’s of many folks. Let’s say that I keep him there, myself. I would likely rank Lennox Lewis higher than Joe based on achievements. But I likely would exclude him from the top ten altogether and place him just a little outside of it.
While I have not definitively decided on where I would rank Lewis, I think I could see myself placing him somewhere around five or six. That is if we put aside nostalgia and our personal biases toward out favourite boxers.
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